Plumbing apparatus



Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES .TOI-IN L. FLEMING, F PEORI, ILLINOIS.

PLUMBING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that 1, Jor-IN L. FLnuiNG,

a citizen of the United States, residing at `Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plumbing Apparatus,'of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plumbing apparatus, particularly to toilets, and has for its object the provision of a toilet flushing device which is so constructed that it includes a bowl which always contains a relatively large amount of water which when caused to iiow or withdraw from the bowl will cause a sufcient suction to remove the entire contents of the bowl, the arrangement being such that the iush will be absolutely silent.

An important and more specific object is the provision of -a toilet iiush of this character which is so constructed that the bowl is always substantially full of water so that any matter deposited therein in the ordinary course of events will be withdrawn by a suction upon the opening of a manually controllable valve, the device further including a plurality of valves which will operate, subsequently to the iiushing and cleansing of' the bowl, to insure the refilling of the bowl and the refilling of an auxiliary tank whereby the bowl will always be in condition, ready for use.

Another object is the provision of a device ofl this character in which the inlet valve is so constructedl as to eliminate the usual noise incident to the filling of tanks of this character.

Still another object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with means which will automatically operate to prevent any possible flooding of the bowl and consequent wetting of the floor of the bath-room or other rooms in which the device is located in any case of stoppage of the outlet pipe on account of an accumulation of paper or the like.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which is very readilycleaned in as much as the outlet pipe is straight and leads directly into the waste pipe of the building.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture and installation, highly efficient in use, positive 1921. Serial N0. 487,137.

in action, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

1V ith the above and other objects and ad trated. in the accompanying drawings inY which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the preferred form of my invention, Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modified form. s

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to Figure 1, I have shown my device as comprising a tank 10 and a toilet bowl 11. It should be understood in advance that this tank and bowl may be formed in such shape asto be disposed in either spaced relation to a wall, against a wall, or else to be so constructed astto be located within a corner ot a toilet room or bath-room. The tank 10 may be opened at its top or may be closed .if preferred, and the bowl 11 is naturally prefer. ably provided at its top with any suitable closure of the ordinary type. The numeral 12 designates the outlet or waste pipe of a building` and the numeral 13 designates the outlet pipe of the bowl 11, this pipe leading into the bowl and joining onto the waste pipe 12 by any suitable connection preferred. Leading into the back wall of the upper portion of the tank 1() is an inlet pipe 14 connected with the water supply pipe of the building and connected within the tank with a suitable valve casing 15 having a valve seat 16. This valve casing 15 may be of any desired shape though in actual practice I have found it advisable to make it of spherical or ball like form and of comparatively heavy weight whereby the weight` thereof will operate to reduce the noise incident to the passage of water through it. Connected with the upper end of this valve casing 15 is a pipe 17 which leads into ring like outlet pipe 18 locatedaround the top of the bowl 11 and provided with a plurality of perforations19 designed to discharge the water passing therethrough downwardly.

Connected with the pipe 13 is an `upwardly i extending pipe 20 which has' its upper end formed with a reflex bend or-goose-neck 21 which is designed to act as a Siphon, the free end of this goose-neck 21 extending below fill the intended water level in the bowl and tank so that in the event of excessive filling of the tank and bowl, the water therein will be drawn out through the pipe 20 and be discharged into the pipe 13. i

Associated with the valve 16 in the inlet valve casing` 15 is a vertically movable valve member 22 carried by al stem 23 which is pivotally connected with a pivoted lever 24 which is provided at its other end with a float 25 disposed within the tank adjacent the rear wall of the bowl 11.

Located at the end or' the pipe 13 where it enters the bowl 11 is la vertically swingable lia-t valve 26 pivoted as shown at 2T adapted to closetthe entrance end ot the pipe 13, and pivotally connected with the free end of this flat valve 26 is a vertically movable rod or wire member 23 which has its upper end extending through the top off the casing` and provided with an operating handle or knob 29. It is oi course to be understood that suitable guide members are provided for holding this rod 23 in proper position. It should also be stated that the lower portion of the forward wall of the tank 10 is provided with an opening 30 which leads into the space behind the lower edge of the rear wall of the bowl 11 as clearly shown so that there will be communication between the tank 10 and the bowl 11. f

The numeral 31 designates a. pipe or conduit. which is located within the lower portion of the bowl 11 and which leads into the tank 10 at a point above the pipe 13 and which communicates with the interior oit the bowl through an opening 31a. At its end leading into the tank 107 this pipe 31 is provided with a swingaole valve32 which is y pivoted intermediate its ends and which has connected therewith a float arm 33 carrying' a float 34.

Pivoted upon the upper portion of the front wall of the tank portion of the device, as shown at 36, is a. lever arm 37 with which is pivotally connected a downwardly extending rod 33 which has its lower end carrying a oat 39. The other end ot this lever 37'has connected therewith a downwardly extending arm 40 which carries a catch member 41 adapted to be engaged by a catch or projection 42 vupon a vertically movable rod 28.

The operation ofthe device is as follows:

Assuming that the tank 10 and the bowl 11 are full to the level indicated by the dotted line, after the toilet has been used, it is merely necessary that the user pull upwardly uponthe handle or knob 29 whereupon the valve 26 will be unseated. Assoon as the valve26 is u'nseate'd, the water within the bowl 11 will naturally pass out through the pipe 13 into the/waste pipe 12and this action will oi" course naturally result in a considerable degree of suction which will insure absolute emptying oi the bowl 11 not only o'lz the clear water therein but of any contents which may have been deposited thereinto. As the water in the bowl 11 flows out, the float 25 will naturally drop down which will result in opening` the valve 22 whereupon water from the supply pipe will pass through the inlet pipe 14, valve casing` 15, valve seat 16, and pipe 17 into the pipe 13 at the top of the bowl from which the water will flow downwardly through the perforations 19 into the bowl 11. When the bowl is vflushed as above described` it is to be understood that the tank 10 still remains tullof water. lVhen the water within the bowl and front portion of the tank lowers to a sufficient extent7 the float 34 will drop down whereupon the valve 32 associated therewith by means of the arm 33 will open whereupon the water within the lower portion of the tank 1() will 'How into the lower end of the bowl through the pipe 31. By the time the water in the tank drops below the float 39, the bowl 11 is cleaned whereupon the iloat 39 will drop down. It should be stated that when the device is first hushed by pulling upwardly on the handleor knob 29, the catch member 42 will engage the catch 41 whereby to' hold the flat valve 26 inopen position. llllhen the water level within the tank 10 has dropped below the float 39, it is apparent that the float 39 will drop whereupon the lever 37 will be rocked upon its pivot 3 6 to cause the latch member 41 to disengagethe catch 42 whereupon the flat `valve 26 will drop down to its original position closing; the entrance end of the pipe 13. All this action occurs before the water level within the tank 10 gets to a suih- 7 As the bowl 11 is refilled, water therein enters the tank through the opening; 30, which incidentally is provided with a suitable check valve 33a. 1f the inlet valve mechanism should ever leak7 it is of course readily apparent that the discharge or overflow pipe 2O havingthe goose-neck 21 will effectively take care of any surplus 'supply of water so as to prevent possible flooding of the bowl 11 and consequent wettingof the floor. Another feature in the provision of the goose-neck is that this gooseeneck will prevent any possible escape of sewer gas into the device'. A@wing to the fact that the valve 26 is normally closedland covered by water, it willbe, apparent that no trap is necessary in the construction of this toilet.

When the bowl 11 and tank l0 have been relilled, it is of course apparent that when the water level reaches that indicated by the dott-ed line in Figure i, the float 25 will operate to move the valve 22 downwardly so as tol cut-oil' the How of water so that the device will be in its initial position. This operation is of course gone through with every time the bowl is used and emptied by pulling upon the handle 29.

In the form shown in Figure 2, the numeral 70 designates the tank with which is associated the bowl 71 which is similar to both of the above described forms. The numeral 72 designates the outlet pipe which i' which has one end provided with a depending float 7 8 and which has its other end provided with a float 79 which is seated upon the upper end oi' an elbow 80 which leads into the front portion of the tank, it being noted that the front portion of the tank communicates with the lower end of the bowl as clearly shown. The same type of inlet valve controlled mechanism is shown in this form oli' the device as in the iirst two described forms and it is believed that a :turther explanation of such is unnecessary.

In the operation of this form of the device it will be apparent that when the operator pulls upon the knob or handle 75 and lifts the valve 73 from its seat, the water within the bowl will rush out whereupon suilicient suction will be caused to thoroughly cleanse the bowl. The float 73 being hollow, will remain off of its seat until the water level within the device falls below the level of the float 7 8, whereupon the float 78 will drop and this will result in elevation of the float 79 whereupon the water within the tank or back portion of the device will enter the front portion or bowl of the device. As the bowl empties it is of course apparent that the suction of the water rushing out through the pipe 72 will cause the float 73 to be drawn down and reseated tightly.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and highly eliicient plumbing fixture or toilet which will be highly elicient in every way, which will not likely get out of order, which will be inexpensive 1n upkeep and which will be very silent in operation.

l/Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I' reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention I claim,

A device of the character described comprising a tank portion and a bowl portion communicating therewith at the lower end, a check valve within said point of communication, an outlet pipe leading from the lower end of the bowl portion and adapted for connection with the waste pipe of a building, a valve normally closing the inlet end of said outlet pipe, a vertically movable rod member connected with said valve and provided above the top of the tank and bowl with an operating handle, an inlet pipe, a valve casing upon said pipe, at the upper portion of the tank portion, a valve within said valve casing adapted to close and cutoff the inlet of water thereinto, a lever arm pivotally mounted and connected with said last named valve, a float on said lever arm, latch means for holding said rod in elevated position when it has been moved to unseat said first named valve, a depending rod connected with said latch mechanism and carrying a float whereby when the water level drops to a certain degree said latch member will be released to permit said first named valve to close, and oat controlled means for controlling flow of water from said tank into said bowl.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JOHN L. FLEMING. 

